I've decided I need to make a Sunbonnet Sue for my mother in law and would like to finish it for Christmas, if not her birthday is in March. Anyway, I was wondering if any of you had already done one and how you had done the applique. Since I realize there are different methods of applique, I was just wondering what other people had done for theirs. Wish you had done it differently? Didn't want to start with freezer paper and wish I had done it by machine. Isn't there a way to use glue stick?

I've made a few. Some the old fashion way of needle turning and hand embroidered around each piece.

Then I've also made some with steam-a-seam 2 and machine embroidered. I always use the double-stitch stitch that looks like hand embroidery. I can't find a better photo of this one yet. It was a quilt I made for QFK's a couple years ago.

I've made a few. Some the old fashion way of needle turning and hand embroidered around each piece.

Then I've also made some with steam-a-seam 2 and machine embroidered. I always use the double-stitch stitch that looks like hand embroidery. I can't find a better photo of this one yet. It was a quilt I made for QFK's a couple years ago.

I've enjoyed both ways really. It all depends on what type of time you have and how profiecent you are with a needle.

How are you thinking of using a glue stick? Just to hold it down while you are sewing instead of pins? It should work I guess.

I'll look up some photos of my other sunbonnets and post them also. I love Sunbonnet Sue's.

I like yours with the embroidery in the background. Did you think that up yourself or did you have something to go by.

As for the glue stick, I just thought I remembered seeing something on TV before but couldn't remember what it was. Guess if you just glued close to the middle it would be ok otherwise it would get all over your needle, wouldn't it?

My grandmother and Aunts made Sunbonnets all the time. They had a cousin who worked in a sheet factory years ago who would send them several 50 pound boxes of sheeting scraps every year. And they would make applique quilts, pieced baskets filled with appliqued flowers, plus simple sqaures and hexagon quilts from the scraps. Sunbonnet Sues and Overall Bills using coloring books to embroidery interesting backgrounds.

They would also do the gingham dog and calico kitten poem, with appliqued dogs and cats romping around the poem.

40 years ago, they were selling their queen size quilts for several hundred dollars. Baby quilts were $50. Of course it was mostly hand done, the only machine sewing was joining the blocks and part of the binding. The applique, quilting and finishing binding was all done by hand. 30 years ago they invested in a long arm quilting machine and went crazy. The smaller scrapy quilts were tied and given away or sold for much less.

I remember them carefully tracing out pattern pieces with a pencil and cardboard template and cutting with scissors each piece, using each little scrap of fabric for something. Some small green scraps would become leaves or stems for flowers.

They were funny, they refused to just give a quilt to anyone especially family. If you wanted a quilt, you paid for it. That way they knew you wanted it and would take care of it properly.

At my house, the coloring books are off limits. They are mine and the crayons are mine too. No, you can't play with my crayons. Bring your own...unless you are designing a quilt then I'll share.

So, charity-crafter, when you needle turn, do you use freezer paper or anything like that? Have you ever tried Stable Magic? I have some, the pkg says it will wash out but the teacher in the class said if you are hand quilting then you want to take it out by making a slit on the back of the fabric. Don't think I want to do that. wouldn't be quilting over Sue anyway. Love the bride and groom. I found a drawing of Sue and Andy/Bill (whoever he is) hugging. I had never seen that before and was thinking of using it for the center.

So, charity-crafter, when you needle turn, do you use freezer paper or anything like that?

Sorry I didn't see this message until now. I didn't use freezer paper or anything. I starched my fabric before I cut out the pieces. When I was needle turning I just sat in a comfy chair and focused on one section at a time.

But honestly now I use steam a seam 2 and machine embroidery. It's so much faster and easier.